GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026
Transport logistics load factor
Unlike nominal transport capacity, the load factor in transport logistics measures actual vehicle utilization: it expresses the ratio of goods carried—by weight or volume—to the theoretical maximum capacity of a truck, vessel, or aircraft.
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Source: https://www.bvl.de/glossar/belastungsfaktor-transportlogistik
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Unlike nominal transport capacity, the load factor in transport logistics measures actual vehicle utilization: it expresses the ratio of goods carried—by weight or volume—to the theoretical maximum capacity of a truck, vessel, or aircraft. A truck using 80 % of its payload capacity has a load factor of 0.8. Freight forwarders use the metric for cost calculation and to identify empty runs; shipping lines and airlines apply it in route planning and pricing decisions. A high load factor reduces transport cost per unit and CO₂ emissions per tonne carried. In air freight, a distinction is drawn between weight load factor and volume load factor, since either dimension can independently become the binding constraint.
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